Love's Sacrifice
by shuckleberry
Summary: This is a fiction involving a new charachter that I made up. Her name is Raewyn Sanders, a tough yound maid in the service of King Arthur. This is the story of Raewyn's journey to save the one she truly loves. Merlin/OC


_**This is a lengthened and edited version of the first part. I have been really busy so I haven't quite finished it yet. I have had an amazing response to the first one, even though I uploaded the wrong one ^_^! Thanks so much and enjoy the full version of part one!**_

Raewyn had been the second servant to King Arthur for many months now. She had been by his and Merlin's side since the day she arrived in Camelot. One fateful day, while Merlin and Arthur were in danger, she had shown her magic for all to see. Arthur was reproachful and quick to judge, until a dying Merlin talked him out of his hasty actions. Arthur's blade to her throat, Merlin begged and pleaded with Arthur to spare her life. Raewyn was sent away and Merlin told Arthur that he was in love with her. The dying boy convinced Arthur that she was good and pure, with nothing but good intentions for the King and his kingdom.

Not only had Arthur seen her magic, but another had as well. Gwaine was struck by her magic; the two became fast friends after. Before that happened, Raewyn and Arthur were hurrying as fast as they could to get Merlin home. While traveling, they were attacked by bandits. Raewyn and Arthur fought side by side, to no avail. A rockfall separated Merlin and Raewyn from Arthur. They were taken, kidnapped by Morgana. Raewyn was knocked out and when she awoke, she was told that Merlin had died.

This broke Raewyn in a way that she had only felt when her family died. Everything good and pure was torn from her life. Morgana left and an old man walked in. Raewyn spilled her feelings to this man, who was Merlin in disguise. The two of them escaped and they arrived back in Camelot. They continued work, staying by Arthur's side to protect and serve him.

Present Day

Raewyn's horse shuffled uneasily underneath her as they slowly continued down the road that led to the Perilous Lands. "I think it would be best if we continued on foot sire," she suggest as her horse reared back, sending her flying into a pile of leaves. Arthur, Merlin and the rest of the Knights of the Round Table dismounted and rushed to her aid. "I may be a woman," she said swatting away each outstretched hand, "but I am not incapable of getting up when I fall." Gwaine smiled as she got up and brushed herself up.

"You are no flower, that's for sure," he jeered. The other knights chuckled as she punched him in the shoulder. The lands were far off in the distance as they continued onwards. Suddenly there was a piercing screech as Percival, the strongest of the knights, tackled Raewyn to the ground. A large Questing Beast skidded to a halt and toppled over.

Raewyn had no time to react. Percival bolted up, taking Raewyn with him. He stood tall by Elyon, Gwaine, Leon, Arthur and Merlin to face the beast. She examined all the men standing before her. She looked at Merlin, whom had no sword. As the others began to fight the beast, she darted behind and around them, minding the beast's poisonous talons. Raewyn stood behind them, watching the battle.

All at once, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The beast, with a swipe of its mighty tail, knocked the knights off their feet. The beast did not go for the incapacitated men, no. It turned its attention straight to Raewyn, who was standing behind the knights. The Questing Beast took three steps and lunged at Raewyn. She tumbled onto her back and tried to scoot out of the way. She looked over and saw Merlin grab a sword from the dirt and throw himself in front of her. He swung wildly with the sword as the beast swatted at him with his claws.

The blood of both the beast and Merlin splattered Raewyn's face and clothes. She screamed and looked at the dead beast and Merlin, whom had scarlet, jagged lines carved down the front of his chest. The knights looked from the dead beast to Merlin, who was fading fast. Raewyn rushed to his side.

"Merlin, MERLIN," she shouted, "No, no, no! You can't die! You can't leave me." Raewyn placed her hands over the wounds. She looked up at Arthur through blurry, tear filled eyes. It looked as if he nodded, but she couldn't tell. She had to save Merlin. "I will make you better. Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ," she whispered as the gashes on Merlin's chest closed. This bought her time. "Why?" she sobbed.

He choked out a laugh, "I had to save you," he said smiling. Raewyn put his head in her lap and began to stroke his hair, "you needed me to save you." She sobbed and put her head close to his.

"I haven't been truthful," she whispered, "and you are going to see about what." Raewyn turned to the knights slowly; she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know what you just saw may come as a shock to a few of you, some not. But what I am about to do next will definitely be a shock to all. I ask you to get behind me, stay there, and don't move. You must do exactly as I ask."

"I will," Leon said sheathing his sword and crouching behind me. Elyon, Gwaine and Percival followed. She looked from Merlin to Arthur, who seemed reproachful again.

"What are you going to do?" he asked sheathing his sword. Raewyn simply looked at him with pleading eyes. He followed the others and crouched behind her. She turned her face to the sky.

"O DRAKON, E MALE SO FTENGOMETTA TESD'HUP'ANANKES!" Her call echoed throughout the sky. Suddenly, the thundering beat of wings filled the air. The knights rustled around uneasily behind her. Out of the tree cover, Kilgahrah burst through the trees and landed before them in the clearing.

"Ah, young Raewyn," he said in his booming voice, "and the King." The dragon bowed his head before the king, who had stood up. "To what do I owe this honor?" His gaze focused on the dragonlord on her lap. "What has become of Merlin?" Raewyn heard something of a quaver in his commanding voice.

"He has been struck by a Questing Beast. There has to be some way to save him. He is everything to me," she said beginning to cry. The dragon nodded and motioned for her to come closer. "Percival, keep his head elevated," she said turning to him. All of the knights were staring at the dragon, but not moving. "PERCIVAL," Raewyn shouted. The knight was shook from his daydream. He nodded and supported Merlin's head as she walked to the dragon.

"How can I help him?" she asked wiping her eyes.

"The thing that can save him, you already know of. It is the Cup of Life. It has been hidden deep inside the Fischer King's Castle. Once you have the cup, call me and I will take you to the Isle of the Blessed, for Merlin won't last in the time it would take you to walk or ride ther there. Remember, the Cup of Life requires a sacrifice of extraordinary measure in order to work. Fear not, things will work out for the better." Kilgahara's words comforted her in a way no one else's could. Raewyn rushed forward and attempted to hug the dragon's leg. Much to her surprise, he put his large head on her back.

"Thank you," she said looking up at him as he lifted his head.

"You fit into his destiny more than you know," he said standing up once again. "You are the one who supports him throughout his lifetime. Fair well young dragonlady." The great dragon took to the sky. Raewyn turned to the men on the ground behind her. Percival and Elyon were looking up at the sky were the dragon once was. Arthur, Gwaine, and Leon were staring at Raewyn.

"We don't have much time," she said walking over to where Merlin was resting, "Percival, Elyon, and Leon. You should return to Camelot with news of what has occurred with Merlin. Leave out the bit with the dragon and magic." They looked at Arthur, who nodded. Percival stood Merlin up carefully as Raewyn supported him. The three men mounted their horses and took off.

"We have to Merlin to the Fischer King's Castle, and quickly," she said slowly walking forwards. Her steps were slow and pained as Merlin began to grow unconscious. Gwaine supported Merlin's other side; Raewyn's load felt lighter.

"You are full of surprises today, aren't you Rae?" Gwaine asked chuckling. I heard Arthur gauff behind us. He stormed in front of me.

"Are you mad?" he asked glaring at me, "she is a sorceress, and now we learn that you can control dragons. When will the lies and deception end? It's like I don't even know who you are anymore." A single tear slid down her cheek.

"I know who she is," Gwaine said seeming angry, "she's Raewyn Sanders. Sure she can do magic and calls dragons, but that doesn't change who she is on the inside, sire. She is still loyal and kind. When she was up there talking to that dragon, I didn't see a sorceress. I saw a dear friend of mine doing everything in her power to save the love of her life. I mean no offence sire." Arthur simply shook his head as they came to a rickety wooden bridge guarded by a little man.

He spoke, his face wide with a smile. "Ah, I see you three have come back. Courage, Strength, Magic and now? Who is this? It can't be," the man exclaimed. Gwaine scrunched up his face as Arthur wandered off.

"What?" he asked staring at the little man. "What is it now?"

He laughed, "This is what binds everything together. The thing that holds you three in place. The foundation of the universe." Raewyn felt her face getting hot.

"What is it?" she asked shifting Merlin's weight.

"Hope," he muttered looking up at her in awe. Gwaine stared at her. "Without Hope, there can be no Courage. No Magic, no Strength. Without you, everything will crumble. Please proceed on." Raewyn let out a shrill whistle and Arthur snapped out of his daze and began to follow them across the bridge. As they passed out of the wood and into the desert on the way to the castle, Gwaine began to ponder.

"So you are Hope, I am Strength, Arthur is Courage, so does that mean Merlin is…" Gwaine began. Merlin moaned and we slowed.

"I…am…Magic," he gasped. His breathing became strained and short.

"We should stop for the night," Arthur said walking up to them, "That spell you did may have slowed the poison, but it won't last forever." Raewyn and Gwaine found a large log and gently sat Merlin against it. Arthur left to go get food. Raewyn began to play with his hair. Gwaine sat down gingerly beside her, smiling from ear to ear.

"Why…smiling. I…said…magic," Merlin gasped. Gwaine started to laugh.

"That doesn't mean you have changed. You can do more, sure, but you are still the same inside," Gwaine said ruffling his hair.

"Arthur…can't…know," he said closing his eyes. Gwaine nodded as Arthur returned with a bird and two rabbits.

"What can't I know?" he asked looking from Merlin to Gwaine to Raewyn. Her face fell as the color left it. She looked at Gwaine and noticed that his usual smile was replaced with a look that resembled fear. His face was rather green. "What. Can't. I. Know?" Arthur demanded dropping the food.

"Merlin's chances are dwindling because Raewyn is worried about you and her spell is losing effect," Gwaine said rapidly. She whipped around stared at him. Raewyn looked at Merlin, who smiled and led out a dry laugh.

"That's right," she said returning to Merlin's side, "and I am afraid for Merlin. I am worried about what you will do to me when we return to Camelot or even right now. I don't want to die. I can't die yet," she said. The last part she knew was true.

Arthur's expression softened. He picked up the bird and rabbits and sat opposite the three friends. He began to skin the rabbits as he spoke. "I'm not a cold hearted brute. I don't go around killing people for no good reason," he said gently laying a rabbit pelt on the ground.

"But I am a sorceress," she said gesturing to herself, "sorcery is outlawed. Plus I am, for arguments sake, a dragonlord. Everything about me is evil." Raewyn's gaze traveled downwards. Merlin shifted and looked up at Raewyn and strained to wipe away a stray tear.

He gathered all his strength and put it into what may be the last thing he said. "Raewyn Sanders, you are far from evil. Just because you were born with magic doesn't mean that you are evil. You are kind and pure of heart, with nothing but good intentions. You have been a loyal friend servant to Arthur and Camelot this past year. You are an amazing person and I am better for knowing you," he finished smiling weakly.

Raewyn began to cry softly. "You say that as if you are going to die. You will not die, I will make sure of that. I will give my own life if necessary," She crawled underneath his arm and held his hand close to her heart. She looked from him to Arthur, whose face had scrunched up yet again.

"You really care for him," he said as he began to cook the food, "I can see it in your face. Someone willing to give their life for another is far from evil." She felt Merlin's head lower onto hers.

"You can't give your life for me. If you are dead and I am still alive, I won't be able to bear it. I lost Freya, Lancelot, Will…I can't lose you too," he choked. "I love you Raewyn, more than anything in the world." She grabbed his hand and he squeezed hers tightly in his grip. It seemed as if time stood still. Suddenly Merlin's hand fell to her lap, limp and useless. She jerked her head up and his fell to the other side.

"Merlin? MERLIN!" Raewyn began to scream; tears didn't flow this time. There was nothing in her voice but pure agony and defeat. She started shaking him, gently at first but soon growing into something strong and violent. Gwaine grabbed her gruffly around the shoulders and tore her from the unconscious boy. She tugged against him, screaming spells and incantations in a vain attempt to revive Merlin.

"Stop, stop Raewyn," Arthur said stepping in between her and Merlin, "he isn't dead, just unconscious. We will save him, I promise. Nothing will happen to him while I am here, and certainly not while you are here." Raewyn stopped thrashing about and began to relax, but Gwaine still didn't let go. He gently sat down and held her there, playing with her hair.

"What are you doing?" she asked looking at him quizzically. He simply smiled and kept doing what he was doing. Surprisingly enough, she began to calm down. Arthur handed her the rabbit and bird meat.

"Will you cook this?" he asked grabbing Merlin carefully under the arms, "I'm going to attempt to move him somewhere more comfortable." Raewyn nodded and slowly took the meat from him. She impaled it on three metal spires she had in her shoulder bag and slowly began to roast it over the now roaring flame. She watched as Arthur lay Merlin down on the soft reeds and grass behind the fallen log. He came back as Raewyn removed the meat from the fire and turned it thrice in hand so that the raw bits were cooked just as thoroughly.

"What else can you do?" he asked sitting down beside Gwaine, who was clearly thinking the same thing. "I know that you can hold boulders, heal, throw swords, summon dragons, and make grown men explode with hardly a second thought with your…abilities. What else can you do?" She rotated the meat yet again, her mind racing. She tried to think of what she was capable of doing. Merlin had taught her almost everything that he knew. She mulled it over and though that a simple animation spell would suffice.

"I can make things come to life," Raewyn said as she rotated the meat. Gwaine gasped and scooted closer to the flames. "Hors, beride þá heofonum," she muttered as the smoke emitting from the flames began to take the shape of a galloping horse. It rode in wisps around Gwaine and made its way towards Arthur. He laughed and touched the grey mare's mane. "Draca," I said as the horse morphed into the silhouette of a small dragon. It reared back and blew a ring of smoke that enveloped Arthur's face.

He sputtered and coughed, but laughed all the same. It glided gracefully through the air and somewhat landed on Gwaine's shoulder. He smiled and tried to touch it but it soon took off and vanished above the flames. "That was fun, and of course enjoyable," Arthur said looking up at her, "but that is hardly useful in combat or in emergency situations." Raewyn smiled and removed the now fully cooked meat. She handed it to Gwaine, who was about to eat it.

She smacked his hand. "No! That's for all of us, not just you." He frowned and lowered the meat ever so slightly. Raewyn focused, and with a motion of her hand she snuffed out the flame.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked seeming bewildered. She ignored him completely and focused hard on what she was doing.

"Calm your mind, watch and you'll see," she replied holding her hands out in front of her chest. "Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme," she said as a blue light began to form in her hands, "Fromum feohgiftum." Arthur and Gwaine gasped at the same time as the entire field was alight with a gentle glow. The ball of light looked to be made out of water, with swirls and puffs of energy. Raewyn raised her arms up and the light followed close behind. With a flick of her wrist the ball began to float freely into the sky; it stopped and hovered almost 15 feet above Gwaine and Arthur.

"It's a guiding light," she said sitting back down and watching the men opposite her, "it is meant to show lost ones the way in even the darkest of times. It is still now because it, and I believe that we are already right where we need to be." Arthur stared up at it longingly as did Gwaine. Arthur stood up and walked over to where Raewyn was sitting. He gently sat down next to her. "You have seen one like this before," she said; Arthur was taken aback, "years ago while you were looking for the Morteus flower to heal of your own who was dying."

Arthur looked at her reproachfully once more. "Yes, it was Merlin. He risked his life for mine and I had to repay him. How did you know all this? Was it you that conjured the light?" he asked looking her in the eyes.

"Gaius told me of the event, and no sire. It was not I that conjured it because I never knew what was taking place. If I would have known that you were in danger I would have," she said looking at him trying to connect the dots in his head, "It means that there is another in Camelot that is doing everything in their power to save your life. Whether or not that means exposing their true nature or not. They have saved you more times than you realize." The light began to fade as Raewyn relit the flames. Gwaine handed out the spires and they began to eat. Raewyn's eyes began to get weary as Arthur stared deeply into the flames. Gwaine finished his pheasant in seconds and flopped over onto the ground.

"I'm going to call it a night," Gwaine said as he propped his head up, "you wouldn't happen to have a pillow in your bag of tricks do you?" She nodded and pulled out a small pillow made of silk and down feathers and threw it at him. He smiled and put it under his head; he fell asleep in seconds. She finished her rabbit meat and replaced the spire into her bag she crossed over and took Gwaine's and placed it in her bag as well. Arthur finished and handed her his spire. She put it away and pulled out two other pillows. She tossed one at Arthur and lay her head down on the soft downy pillow.

"Raewyn?" Arthur asked laying down, his head a few feet from hers.

"Yes sire?" she replied looking at his dirty blonde hair. He turned and his gaze met her.

"Do you think I am wrong for not repealing the ban on sorcery? That my father was wrong for persecuting them, that everything that has happened over the years is wrong?" he asked sitting up on his elbows. She did the same and looked at him.

"The reason your father hunted sorcerers is because he was deceived by an evil one and lost the love of his life," she said as Arthur's mind began to wander, "he was jaded; cheated and deceived by someone whose intentions were far from pure. This shaped his misguided and mostly factious view on sorcerers. He was wrong for what he did, and I believe that sorcerers should no longer be hunted. I highly doubt that the ramblings of a lowly servant are going to sway the mind of a king." Arthur looked troubled.

He sighed and rolled over onto his back yet again. "You aren't just a lowly servant you know," he said as Raewyn watched his gaze up at the stars. "You are kind, and loyal. Besides that, you are incredibly brave. Not many people have the courage to show themselves for who they really are with the knowledge that they may be slaughtered in doing so. Raewyn, you are a powerful sorceress who only uses her powers for good, honorable deeds. You are a faithful friend and valued council in my courts."

"What about Merlin?" she asked rolling onto her back as well. "You have only known me for a year, whereas you have known him for several. Do you feel the same about him?" Arthur groaned and hit the ground with his fist.

Arthur, much to Raewyn's surprise, began to laugh. "I do think of Merlin as a dear friend though his council may be of little use to me sometimes. He is everything that you are, except a sorceress. The truth is that I am just as worried as you or Gwaine, but I have to remain strong in the eyes of him because he is one of my knights," his voice began to wane and grow weary, "and I am incredibly tired. Goodnight Raewyn."

Raewyn yawned, "Goodnight Arthur," she said as she began to drift. Her mind wandered to Arthur and Merlin and everyone back home. She worried on whether or not Percival, Elyon, and Leon made it back and if they had mentioned the dragon and her own magic. She thought of Merlin and whether or not he would survive. She wondered if she would have to give her own life to save him. Through all the dark of the situation, Raewyn could see something at the end of it. A small, dwindling white light that shone through the inky blackness. That light? Hope…


End file.
